New Peugeot pickup truck sighted running about naked

The PSA Group and Chinese carmaker Changan announced the development of a body-on-frame pickup truck two years ago. In China, the car has already launched as the Kaicene F70 (a.k.a. Kaicheng). Its Peugeot counterpart remains scheduled for 2021 – but it will likely premiere sooner than that, judging by these spy photos.

The key differences from the Kaicene F70 include the new radiator grille, front bumper, and headlights. The still-unnamed Western counterpart of the F70 will be mainly sold in the Latin American countries. The production will take place at the same Uruguay factory that currently produces the Citroen Jumpy and Peugeot Expert, but the test mule depicted here was spotted in Chile.

The Kaicene F70 ships in two sizes. One is called Standard and measures 5,530 mm (18.14 ft.) long, 1,930 mm (6.33 ft.) wide and 1,835 mm (6.02 ft.) tall with 3,180 mm (10.43 ft.) between the axles. The other one is called LWB and is 5,780 mm (18.96 ft.) long with a wheelbase measuring 3,430 mm (11.25 ft.). The ground clearance amounts to a respectable 230 mm (9 inches), the approach angle is 29º, and the departure angle is 27º. Straight from the factory, the Kaicene F70 can traverse water obstacles up to 900 mm (2.95 feet) deep.

Buyers in China can choose among three powertrain options, including two diesels and a turbocharged gasoline V4. The transmission is always six-speed manual and the drive is on the rear axle, but you may opt for an on-demand AWD system that includes a reduction gear. That said, the Peugeot version of the truck will likely receive its own assortment of powertrains.

The premiere will most likely be held this spring, but availability in Europe and other markets remains a big question mark. For its part, Changan says it does plan to export the Kaicene F70 abroad.

The newcomer is not the only Peugeot-branded truck out there, by the way. A couple years ago, the company premiered a model for Africa with the telltale name of ‘Pick Up’. Essentially a rebadged variant of the Dongfeng Rich, the car shipped with the technical components and body-on-frame structure of the 1997 Nissan Navara.